STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1656-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   S.B. No. 2782

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2782, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure, as received by your Committee, is to protect the precious natural resources of our island state by:

     (1)  Appropriating funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the immediate protection of priority watershed forests to replenish Hawaii's water supplies and provide many other fundamental benefits to Hawaii's environmental health; and

     (2)  Statutorily establishing the Division of Aquatic Resources under the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

     For the purposes of a public hearing on this measure, your Committee circulated Proposed S.B. No. 2782, S.D. 2, H.D. 2 and notified the public that it would be accepting testimony on the proposal, which is substantially the same as the measure as received by your Committee as described above, and also establishes the Emergency Environmental Workforce.  The Emergency Environmental Workforce will aid the rebuilding of Hawaii's economy and environment by providing to those who are currently unemployed or underemployed due to slow economic recovery, short-term employment consisting of maintaining state watersheds and eradicating invasive species.

     Testimony was received for both the measure as received and the proposed draft.

The Board of Water Supply of the City and County of Honolulu, a Maui County Council Member, and one concerned individual testified in support of the measure as received by your Committee.  Mauna Kea Recreational Users Group, and one concerned individual testified in opposition to the measure as received by your Committee.  The Conservation Council for Hawaii; Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.; and one concerned individual provided comments on the measure as received by your Committee.  

     The Governor testified in support of the proposed draft.  The Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii, Hawaii Chapter of the Sierra Club, and two concerned individuals testified in opposition to the proposed draft.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources; Commission on Water Resource Management; Department of Agriculture; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Oahu Invasive Species Committee; Maui Invasive Species Committee; The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii; Trust for Public Land; West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership; Global Island Partnership; Three Mountain Alliance; Conservation Council for Hawaii; Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species; Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.; and two concerned individuals provided comments on the proposed draft.  

     Your Committee considered the merits of both S.B. No. 2782, S.D. 2, H.D. 1 as received by your Committee, and Proposed S.B. No. 2782, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, and upon careful consideration, adopted Proposed S.B. No. 2782, S.D. 2, H.D. 2 with the following amendments:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2030; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2782, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2782, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair